Metallic frame for buildings



April 1934- .1. MARSHALL 1,955,818

METALLIC FRAME FOR BUILDINGS Filed Feb. 11. 1932 e Sheets-Sheet 1 16 WITNESSES: I N VEN TOR:

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April 24, 1934.

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J. MARSHALL METALLIC FRAME FOR BUILDINGS 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 j JJ 15 w Z 7 e 21 52) 11 1a W L? l i 2 o 9 :5 9, Z 72;: l

WITNESSES: I N V EN TOR:

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April 24, 1934. J. MARSHALL 1,955,818

METALLIC FRAME FOR BUILDINGS Filed Feb. 1. 1932 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 1357 E FIG .W

WITNESSES:

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April 24, 1934. J. MARSHALL METALLIC FRAME FOR BUILDINGS Filed Feb. 11. 1932 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG. 1m

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April 1934. J. MARSHALL METALLIC FRAME FOR BUILDINGS v Filed Feb. 11. 1952 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 1 N VEN TOR.- wmz'asm mrsimll, By W ATTORNEYS.

WITNESSES 6 April 1934. .1. MARSHALL 1,955,818

METALLIC FRAME FOR BUILDINGS Filed Feb. 11. 1932 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 viii,

WITNESSES: 15 INVENTOR:

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Patented Apr. 24, 1934 UITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 8 Claims.

. Thisinvention relates to metallic frames for buildings, particularly small buildings such as dwellings and garages.

The construction of metallic frames for buildings under methods heretofore prevalent entailed cutting and punching of multitudinous parts from structural steel in accordance with individual designs and specifications, and the subsequent matching and securing together of such individual parts in field at the time of erection. Accordingly, the construction of metallic building frames under these methods was exceedingly expensive due to special detailing and design, and to the enormous amount of labor involved incident to erection.

My invention is in part directed toward overcoming the above recited drawback, which desideratum I secure, as hereinafter fully explained, through provision of structural steel wall units fabricated from angle stock, and of structural steel joists, cross beams, rafters, etc., all of standardized dimensions and capable of being readily and quickly assembled in field to form frames for either single story or multi-story buildings of any desired dimensions, at a minimum cost of labor. These fabricated wall units I arrange serially in such order that the contiguous side verticals'of adjacent units jointly form sturdy uprights or posts having a maximum radius of gyration, by virtue of which I am able to employ comparatively light structural shapes in the fabrication of the units without sacrifice of strength to resist the strains of torsion and fiex-ure induced under supported weight and wind pressure in the finished buildings.

A further object of my invention is to secure increased strength at the junctures between the wall units, joists, cross beams, rafters, etc. by arranging the connecting parts such that the bolts employed tosecure them together are subjected to double shear, with resultant reduction in the number of bolts over that which would ordinarily be required.

Still other objects and attendant advantages of this invention will be manifest from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. I shows diagrammatically, the plan view of a structural steel building frame conveniently embodying the present improvements.

Fig. II is a sectional elevation of the building frame taken as indicated by the arrows II--II in Fig. I.

Figs. III, IV, V, VI and VII are elevations of the different types of fabricated units which I employ to form the walls of my improved metallic building frame.

Fig. VIII isa fragmentary detail plan view of a corner of the building frame, drawn to. a larger .scale.

Fig. IX shows a fragmentary detail elevation of one'of the walls of the frame viewed as indicated by the arrows IX-IX in Fig. VIII.

Fig. X is a fragmentary detail section taken as indicated by the arrows XX in Fig. VIII.

Fig. XI is a fragmentary view looking as indicated by the arrows XIXI in Fig. X.

Fig. XII is a fragmentary sectional elevation of a two story building illustrating how the outer and inner wall veneerings, the roof and the floors may be incorporated with a metallic frame constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. XIII is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the wall of the finished building at one of the Windows.

Fig. XIV shows a cross sectional view of the roof of the finished building.

.Fig. XV is a fragmentary sectional view corresponding to Fig. XIV showing a slight modification of theroof construction.

Fig. XVI is a fragmentary plan View of my metallic building frame at the juncture of a room partition with a side Wall.

Fig. XVII is a fragmentary vertical section of a finished building with a modified floor construction and a different outer wall veneering from that shown in Fig. XII; and, I V

Fig. XVIII is a fragmentary section viewed as indicated by the arrows XVIII-XVIII in Fig.

XVII.

As herein delineated, my improved building frame is composed in part of corner center uprights 1 of angle section structural steel; and a multiplicity of fabricated rectangular units 2 which I arrange in serial relation as shownin Fig. I to constitute the walls of the building. These units 2 may be of the various types indicated at 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d and 2e separately illustrated in Figs. III, IV, V, VI and VIIall of single story height and respectively formed with verticals 3 and horizontals 4 of angle section structural steel preferably of the same size and weight as the corner center uprights l; and it will be noted that they are generally similar in that their verticals are correspondingly perforated for passage of fastening devices.

The units 2a and 2b of Figs. III and IV, which may be conveniently referred to as panel units, are made to different standard widths and distinguished from the others by having crossed diagonal sway braces 5 connecting their verticals 3 adjacent corners. The component parts of the units 2a. and 2b (as is also true of all the other units) are permanently connected preferably by welding; and in all cases the verticals 3 extend somewhat above the level of the top horizontals 4 for a purpose which will become apparent from further description. Units of the types 200 and 2b are intended to serve for the blank portions of the building walls between windows and doors.

The unit 20 of Fig. V is designed for use as a window unit and accordingly has secured to it a window frame 6 to take glazed sashes such as shown at 7 in Fig. XIII. The window frame 6 is preferably permanently secured to the unit 20 incident to fabrication of the latter in the factory with permanent incorporation of flashing strips 8 and 9, which, as illustrated in Fig. V, extend beyond the ends of the head and sill rails 10 and 11 of the said window frame for the purposes of embedment in masonry applied around the window as hereinafter noted.

The unit 203 of Fig. VI has horizontals 4 each composed of two parts 12, 13 in overlapping relation, whereof the contacting flanges which are perforated at intervals, are secured together by means of clamp bolts 14. By virtue of the described construction, the unit 2d is obviously adjustable for width, it being intended as a fill-in unit for insertion in spaces where the standard width units 2a and 2?) cannot be conveniently used.

Except for the omission of diagonal tie bars, the unit 26 of Fig. VII is like the panel unit 2a and. designed to provide a doorway.

For a two story building such as exemplified in Fig. II, I select from between the units of the types 2a2e in accordance with the desired allocation of windows and doors, and arrange the selected units for each wall at the ground floor in serial relation but in alternately reversed order on a previously prepared masonry foundation 15, with interposition beneath said units of sill plates 16. Incident to arranging the units 2 as above explained, I secure the edge flanges of the contiguous verticals of adjacent units together, back to back, by means of screw bolts 17, interposing at the same time at suitable points, spacers 13 with formation of intervals 19 between said contiguous verticals, see Fig. IX. By virtue of the alternate reversal in the order of the units 2, there are formed by the contiguous angle verticals 3 of adjacent units 2, posts having a maximum radius of gyration with assurance of increased sturdiness to resist torsion as well as flexure. Accordingly, I am able to employ structural angle bars of comparatively light weight without sacrifice of the necessary strength to bear supporting and other strains to which a building frame is subject, at a very marked saving in the cost of material.

The corner center posts 1, I arrange as shown in Figs. I, VIII and IX with the vertices of the angles directed diagonally inwards of the building so that their side flanges lie at right angles to the corresponding walls, and back to back relative to the corresponding edge flanges of the contiguous verticals of the endmost of the units 2 of corresponding walls. Here again, I employ screw bolts 17 through corresponding holes in the corner center upright posts 1 and the contiguous verticals 3 of the endmost wall units 2 to secure these parts together with provision of intervals 19 between their opposing flanges by interposition'of spacers 18. The side verticals 3 of the endmost wall units 2 thus constitute auxiliary uprights in conjunction with the corner center uprights 1 to form composite corner posts which are strong and sturdy against torsion and fiexure. he ground floor wall units 2 I anchor to the foundation 15 by bolts 20 let down through preallocated apertures in their lower horizontals and the sill plates 16 into the masonry, see Figs. XII, XVII and XVIII.

While setting up the ground story wall units 2, I also place the ground and upper floor joists desi nated, by the numerals 21 and 22 in Figs. II, VIII, IX, X, XI, IKII, XVII and XVIII, the same being cut to standard length and coped at their ends from I-beam stock with relatively deep vertical center webs. In the case of the ground floor joists 21, the ends are moreover undercut as at 23 in Fig. XII with provision of shoulders to abut the inside of the foundation masonry 15. In placing the ground floor joists 21 I slip the coped ends of their vertical webs into the intervals 19 between the side verticals 8 of adjacent wall units 2 and make them fast by bolts 24 (Fig. kII) passed through preallocated holes in the joists 21 and said side verticals. The joists 21 thus function as cross ties between the units 2 constituting the opposite walls of the building. The ends of the vertical webs of the upper floor joists 22 are similarly slipped into the intervals 19 between the side verticals 3 of adjacent ground floor units 2 and secured by bolts 25. It is to be particularly noted, however, from Figs. X and XI, that the holes for the bolts 25 are so preallocated that only the lower halves of the ends of the vertical webs of the upper floor joists 22 are lapped by the upper ends of the contiguous verticals 3 of adjacent ground floor wall units 2. It is to be further noted that the joists 22 are also used in connection with the corner uprights 1.

The wall units 2 of the upper story of the building shown in Fig. II are arranged in exactly the same manner as those of the ground story, i. e., in alternately reversed order, and placed. unit for unit, in direct superimposition upon those of said ground floor, see Figs. IX, X and XI also. By virtue of suchplacement of the upper story wall units 2, the lower ends of the laterallyspaced contiguous side verticals 3 of adjacent units are engaged over the ends of the vertical webs of the upper floor joists 22 as shown in Figs. IX, X and XI. Here again, screw bolts 26 are employed to secure the parts together, the holes for said bolts being so pre-allocated as to determine direct abutment of the side verticals 3 of corresponding wall units 2 of the upper and lower stories. Strong and rigid junctures are thus formed between the wall units 2 of the ground and upper story of the building in which the ends of the webs of the upper floor joists 22 overlap the abutting ends of the contiguous side verticals 3 of the pairs of superposed units 2 in the special intervals between said verticals. The described arrangement moreover places the bolts 25 and 26 in double shearand is advantageous in that a lesser number of bolts are required than under the usual practice where the securing bolts are in single shear. As was the case with the endmost of the ground floor wall units 2, the side verticals 3 of those of the upper story are secured to the corner center uprights 1 by screw bolts 1'7, see Figs. VIII and III. The corner center uprights 1 provided for multi-story buildings are made in standardized lengths to reach from the foundation 15 to the roof cornices of'thebuildings.

For the ceiling'of the upper story of the building angle section beams 27 are used (Figs. II and XIV), the angle flanges being in this instance of the same breadth but only half as thick as those of the angles 3 from which the wall units 2 are formed. The gable roof rafters 28 may be either of I or channel section with comparatively deep vertical webs of the same thickness as the flanges of the angle beams 2'7. The angle beams '27 and the rafters 28 are coped at their ends as shown in Fig. XIV and the projecting portions of their vertical webs engaged in overlapping relation in the spacial intervals 19 between the contiguous verticals 3 of adjacent wall units 2 of the upper story at the cornices of the building and secured by screw bolts 29. At the ridge of the roof, the projecting portions of the webs of corresponding rafters 28 are overlapped and secured together by screw bolts 30.

Fig. XV shows a roof construction with ceiling joists 27:1: and rafters 28:0 whereof the flanges and webs are of the same thickness as those of the angles 3, 4 used for the wall units 2. In this case, the coped ends of the ceiling beams and rafters 27m and 28.1: are separately secured in the spacial intervals'between the contiguous verticals 3 of adjacent upper story wall units 2 at the cornices by screw bolts 29x respectively without being overlapped.

In Fig. XII, the wall units 2 of the upper story are of a less height than those of the lower story with the roof rafters 23y secured in the same manner as shown in Fig. XIV. For obtainment of the desired ceiling height in the upper story, the ceiling beams 27y are in this case secured with the aid of angle lugs 31, tothe rafters 28y.

The Walls of the building may be finished with a veneer of stucco as shown at 32 in Figs. XII, XIII, XIV and XV; or with brick as indicated at 33 in Fig. XVII. In the former case, the stucco 32 is applied to a web 34 of expanded metal, wire mesh or the like conventionally indicated by a heavy line in the several drawings just referred to. This web 34 is fastened to horizontally arranged furring channels 35 which are wired or otherwise secured to the wall units 2 at suitably spaced levels. The roof of the building may be of shingles 36 nailed to a sub-surface 37 of planking suitably secured to the rafters 28; and the stucco veneering 32 may be brought up as at 38 in Fig. XIV under the eaves against eave strips 39 of lumber in turn suitably secured to the planking 37. At the top of each window 6 the stucco veneering 32 is filled in over the outwardly projecting flange 40 of the window frame head rail 10 to seal with the flashing strip 3 whereof the projecting ends are bent upward and embedded in the stucco veneering 32. Each window opening may be finished off at the bottom by a sill such as shown at 41 in Fig. XIII of wood or stone, which is lapped by the flashing strip 9 whereof the projecting ends (Fig. V) are embedded in the stucco 32 in a manner similar to that described in connection with the flash ing strip 8.

For the floors, boards 42 of cellotex or the like may be laid on the joists 21 and 22 and creepers 43 nailed to the said boards to support the flooring 4=-all as shown in Fig. XII. Also if desired, suitable insulation 45 may be placed between the creepers 43.

Figs. XVII and XVIII illustrate an alternate construction of floor in which nailing strips 46 of lumber are bolted to the joists 21 and the flooring 44 nailed to said strips.

For the purposes of partitions to subdivide the interior of the building into rooms, I provide fabricated units 47 (Figs. I, II, XE and XVI) of a construction identical with the wall units 2, but formed from lighter angle bar stock. There partitioning units 47 are in the present instance made of a height to reach from the flooring 4.4 to the overhead joists 22 as exemplified in Fig. XII; and they are secured to each other in serial relation in the same manner as described in connection with the outer wall units 2, and bolted top and bottom respectively to the lower flanges of the overhead joists 22 and to the flooring 44. The side verticals of the endmost partitioning units 47 are secured by screw bolts 48, as shown in Fig. XVI to supplemental angles 49 incorporated in the spacial intervals 19 between contiguous side verticals 3 of adjacent wall units 2. If desired, the partitioning units 47 may of course be made to such height as to reach from the top of the floor beams 21 to the bottoms of the ceiling beams 22 in each story of the building.

The rooms may be finished, for example, by application of plaster 50 to insulating boards 51 fastened to furring strips 52, 53 respectively wired or otherwise secured to the in sides of the outer wall units 2 and to opposite sides of the partitioning units 4'7 as shown in Figs. XII

and XIV. In either case, there are formed relatively thick outer walls and partitions with correspondingly wide air spaces for the purpose of effective thermal and sound proof insulation. At each window opening, the plaster 50 may be brought up as at 54 in Fig. XIII under a strip i' of lumber 55 made fast to the upper horizontal 4 of the wall unit 20 by means of screws 56; while at the bottom of the window there may be provided an inner seal 57 of lumber to reach under the top flange of the lower horizontal 4 of said 1.1].

wall unit 20 and the plaster 50 terminated at the said sill 57.

From the foregoing it is evident that my invention affords a structural frame for buildings,

composed of parts which are relatively light in themselves but so organized as to determine a very rigid structure capable of withstanding great strains due to weight or wind pressure in the finished building. It is moreover evident from the foregoing that with units fabricated to standard dimensions it is possible to erect buildings of various types and sizes without the necessity for pro-designing such buildings. As a result, I am able to effect a very considerable saving both as regards material and labor costs as compared with buildings erected under previous methods.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: 1. A metallic frame for buildings composed of a multiplicity of fabricated wall units having units.

2. A metallic frame for buildings composed of a multiplicity of fabricated wall units having permanently-connected side verticals and hori- Lib zontals of angle section, the units constituting each wall being reversely positioned alternatingly in serial relation with the edge flanges oi the conti'aious verticals of adjacent Wall units secured back to back and spacers interposed to determine, in each instance, an interval between said verticals; and joists having the ends of integral vertical webs projecting into and secured in the intervals aforesaid between the contiguous verticals of adjacent wall units.

3. A metallic frame for buildings composed of corner uprights of angle section placed with the vertices of the angles inward and their side flanges lying at right angles to the corresponding walls of the building; and wall units having permanently connected side verticals and horizontals of angle section, the said wall units being likewise placed with the vertices of their side angles inward and their edge flanges secured back to back to the respectively contiguous flanges of the corner uprights, with provision between them and the corner uprights of spacial intervals; and joists having the ends of integral vertical webs projecting into and secured in the spacial intervals aforesaid between the contiguous flanges of the side verticals of the wall units and or" the corner uprights.

4. A metallic frame for storied buildings composed of a multiplicity of fabricated wall units of single story height having permanently-connected side Verticals and horizontals of angle section, the units constituting each wall being reversely positioned alternatingly in serial relation in each story with the edge flanges of contiguous verticals of adjacent units secured back to back, and the units of one story superposed, unit for unit, upon the tops of the units of the subjacent story; and joists having integral vertical webs with their ends lapping the junctures between the side verticals of corresponding wall sections of adjacent stories and secured in each instance to both said verticals.

5. A metallic frame for storied buildings comprising a multiplicity of fabricated wall units of single story height having permanently-connected side verticals and horizontals of angle section, the units of each wall being reversely positioned alternatingly in serial relation in each story with the edge flanges of contiguous verticals of adjacent panel sections secured back ing units of adjacent stories in the intervals.

aforesaid between contiguous verticals of adjacent units of the two stories.

6. A metallic frame for buildings composed of a multiplicity of fabricated wall units of uniform height, some of them of fixed widths having permanently connected side verticals and horizontals of angle section and crossed diagonal tie members, and others of said units having extensible horizontals for purposes of lateral adjustment, the units constituting each wall being reversely positioned alternatingly in serial relation, with the edge flanges of contiguous verticals of adjacent units secured back to back.

'7. A metallic frame'for buildings composed of a multiplicity of fabricated wall units having permanently connected side verticals and horizontals of angle section, the units constituting each wall being reversely positioned alternatingly in serial relation with the edge flanges of contiguous verticals of adjacent units secured back to back with provision of an interval between them in each instance; and floor joists, ceiling joists and roof rafters having integral vertical webs with their ends projecting into and secured in the intervals aforesaid between the contiguous verticals of adjacent wall units.

8. A metallic frame for buildings composed of a multiplicity of fabricated wall units having permanently connected side verticals and horizontals of angle section, the units constituting each wall being reversely positioned alternatingly in serial relation, with the end flanges of contiguous verticals of adjacent units secured back to back with provision of a spacial interval between them in each instance; floor and ceiling joists having integral vertical webs with their ends projecting into and secured in the spacial intervals aforesaid between the contiguous ver ticals of adjacent wall units; and room partition units constructed and arranged like the wall units and secured top and bottom to the ceiling and floor joists. v

JAMIESON MARSHALL. 

